PM Files Candidacy for Assam Rajya Sabha Seat

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will file his nomination for one of the two vacancies of Rajya Sabha’s seat for Assam on Wednesday, which will be held on May 30.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Rajya Sabha MP Bhubaneswar Kalita said that, Dr Manmohan Singh will arrive in Guwahati around Wednesday and files his nomination.

Assam state government and police have arranged tight security in Guwahati for the PM’s arrival.

Dr Singh’s term comes to an end on June 14, He was elected to Rajya Sabha in Assam in 1991.

The second seat of Rajya Sabha from Assam is also falling vacant due to end term of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MP Kumar Deepak Das.

Ruling Congress and allies have occupied 94 seats in the 126 members of Assam legislative assembly.

Hemo Prava Saikia, an AICC member and widow of former Assam Chief Minister late Hiteswar Saikia is a front runner of the second seat and her home at Sarumotoria in Guwahati is rented by Prime Minister who needs an address in Assam for contest in Rajya Sabha poll.

Apart from Hemo Prava Saikia, the APCC has sent other 11 names including senior Congress leader Abdul Muhib Mazumdar, Dwijen Sarma, Kirip Chaliha, Ranjit Borthakur to congress high command for select the second seat candidate.

“The second party candidate might be announced on Wednesday and both candidates will file nomination papers,” a top source of APCC said.

Meanwhile, opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) will file at least one candidate in the Rajya Sabha poll.

AIUDF working president Dr Aditya Langthasa said they will hold discussion with other opposition parties of the state to make a strategy against ruling Congress.

“We have also made a strategy for the Rajya Sabha poll to take an advantage from the dissident group of Congress,” Dr Langthasa said.

Hemanta Kumar Nath is a correspondent in Assam, India, who reports on local news in Assam, the north east Indian state.